Means for cleaning chimney-flues.



G. F. BROADHURST.

MEANS FOR CLEANING CHIMNEY FLUES.

APPLICATION rum: 1330.12, 1911.

1,030,456, Patented June 25,1912.

WITNESSES: IN VEN TOR Am flzarz 0J1? B roadie/um? fw am N BY a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MEANS FOR CLEANING CHIMNEY-FLUES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 25, 1912.

Application filed December 12, 1911. Serial No. 665,282.

To all whom it may concerni- Be it known that I, CHARLES F. BROAD- HURST, citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented a new and useful Means-for Cleaning Chimney-Flues, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus to efiect the removal of soot and dust from chimney fines or stove pipes arrd is designed to effect this cleansing in a safe and satisfactory manner. Attempts have previously been made to perform this service by means of cartridges of some light explosive, but the use of such is not satisfactory as the explosion throws backward in the flue as well as forward, and while the force of it may loosen the deposit of soot there is no following blast to carry the loosened soot out of the flue or stove pipe.

In the apparatus herein described the loosening of the soot is effected by a sudden discharge of compressed air into the fine. This compressed air is stored within a small reservoir from which the blast is delivered by the rupture of a paper diaphragm in the connection to the stove pipe or flue, and after the first rupture of the diaphragm the reservoirempties itself through the connection and forms a strong following draft of air, which carries the soot out of the flue and into the chimney and the atmosphere.

The invention is particularly-described in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus showing its application to the flue of a stove, the dot and dash lines indicating how it may be attached to the stove pipe. Fig.- 2 is a longitudinal section to an nlarged scale of the diaphragm holding union of the flexible connection, and Fig. 3, a cross section of the same at A.

In these drawings 2 represents the top of the stove and 3 its stove pipe.

The flue cleaning apparatus consists of an air reservoir 5 having a closable connection 6 through which air may be compressed into the reservoir from any suitable air pump. From this reservoir 5 the compressed alr may be admittedthrough an angle valve 7 and flexible connection 8 to the flue it is desired to clean. In the case of a stove this would preferably be made to a cover plate at an angle directing the blast lnto the course of the flue and similarly when connection is made to a stove pipe it should be made either at a bend that will direct the blast into the line of the stove pipe or, if such a bend is not obtainable, the connection may be angled forward, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1.

In the attachment of the flexible connection 8 to the angle valve 7 of the reservoir is the provision by which the sudden blast of compressed air is obtained, which provision forms an essential feature of the invention. This consists .in the insertion across the pipe area of an imperforate diaphragm or blind washer 10 which, when the air pressure accumulates behind it, will rupture and deliver a blast of escaping compressed air into the flue or stove pipe to which the apparatus is connected. This dia phragm 10 may be introduced in any convenient manner, preferably in a manner that will not necessitate the connection being taken apart to insert a fresh diaphra m.

In the drawing, attachment of the flexible connection 8 to the angle valve 7 is made by means of a screwed coupling, the end of the male part or spigot 11 of this coupling seating upon a joint ring'12 on the shoulder of the female part or faucet ll and the paper diaphragm 10 is inserted through a slit 13 through the female part of the coupling in the plane of the joint. Withthis provision the screw, coupling 11, 12 may be slaeked back and the paper diaphragm 10 inserted through the slit 13 and the coupling thereafter may be tightly screwed up to hold the ed e of the diaphragm in the joint seat.

In use, a paper diaphragm being inserted in the coupling and the angle valve 7 closed the reservoir may be connected at 6 to an air pump or'other source of air or gas under pressureand the reservoir is closed at any desired pressure, which may be indicated on a pressure gage 14. Thereafter the flexible connection 8 being attached to the required flue, the angle valve is opened, slowly at first and then more freely until the accumulated pressu're from the reservoir ruptures the paper diaphragm 10. The sudden blast of airinto the flue will loosenthe soot accumulation and the following flow of compressed air, as the reservoir 5 empties itself,

Although the device has been described throughout as applicable to a reservoir into which compressed air may be charged, the elastic fluid pressure may obviouslybe derived from any source of supply, either from factory charged cylinders of compressed air or other gas, such as carbonic acid gas, or

from a chemical reaction, the essential feature of the invention being the rupture of a fragile diaphragm by an elastic-fluid pressure.

The device is comparatively inexpensive, can be quickly and readily applied and the work is done with cleanliness and despatch.

Having now particularly described my invention and the manner of its use, I hereby declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is: 1. As a means for freeing a chimney or flue from soot, the combination with a res ervoir charged with an elastic fluid under pressure, of a duct from that reservoir delivering into the flue or chimney and a diaphragm of thin tearable material secured across the, duct.

2. As a means for freeing a chimney or flue from soot, the combination with a reservoir charged with an elastic fluid under pressure, an outlet from that reservoir controlled by a valve, a flexible pipe connection from the outlet delivering into the flue. in the approximate direction of the draft, and a diaphragm of tearable material secured across the outlet aperture outside of the -means of a screwed union wherein the screwed end seats against an inserted fabric or rubber washer, said union having a slit through one side in the plane of the joint seat and a diaphragm of paper or similar material inserted through the slit, the edge of which diaphragm is secured in the joint.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. BROADHURST.

Witnesses:

ROWLAND BRITTAIN, WM. S. SOUTAR. 

